WEST SEATTLE LIGHT RAIL: Sound Transit now recruiting artists

| Sound Transit | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Sound Transit‘s West Seattle Link Extension project still has a variety of uncertainties – awaiting the federal Record of Decision, for example (still projected around month’s end) – but there’s something new: Advance word of the call for station artists. We were asked to share this announcement:

STart: SOUND TRANSIT ART PROGRAM
FOR ARTISTS: LISTENING AND INFORMATION SESSIONS—PLANNING FOR ARTWORK IN THE WEST SEATTLE LINK EXTENSION PROJECTS

Dates and Locations

Wednesday, May 7, 6-7 pm, Seattle Public Library, Delridge Branch
Thursday, May 8, 6-7 pm, Seattle Public Library, High Point Branch

RSVP by May 2, 2025
Please RSVP by emailing start@soundtransit.org.

Meeting Purpose

In the coming months, the Sound Transit Art Program (STart) will be hiring artists to create artwork for the future West Seattle light rail stations. STart wants to hear from West Seattleites about what is important to them in their neighborhoods while art projects are being developed. In addition, STart seeks to inform West Seattle artists about how they can apply for inclusion in an Artist Candidate Pool for art project consideration.

Listening and information sessions geared toward artists will be held in two West Seattle branches of the Seattle Public Library from 6-7 pm on Wednesday, May 7 (Delridge) and Thursday, May 8 (High Point). The conversation and content will be the same each evening, offering two opportunities for participation on different nights.

About the West Seattle Link Extension Artwork Opportunities

STart incorporates artwork in its stations and facilities to create welcoming spaces for passengers, and to contribute to the character of the communities connected with light rail. At these listening sessions, STart will describe what is known about the West Seattle Link Extension (WSLE) stations, and how artwork will play a key role in making its planned Alaska Junction, Avalon and Delridge Stations distinct and memorable. Hearing about the neighborhoods where the stations will be located is valuable to STart. The stations are currently in design and planned to be in service in 2032, connecting West Seattle with the existing Link 1 and 2 Lines. You can learn more here.

STart is working to identify locations for permanent integrated artwork and long-term rotating displays of temporary artwork. Due to the layout of the West Seattle stations, most of the opportunities will be for two-dimensional works that will be translated into a durable medium—such as cut metal, glass, porcelain enamel or mosaic—either fabricated by the artist or a third-party fabricator contracted by STart. This can be a chance for painters, photographers and printmakers to be part of the stations’ public art display. There may also be a few opportunities for works of sculpture to serve as station landmarks and draw passengers to entrances.

Artist Candidate Pool Application

STart will soon accept applications to create a pool of artist candidates for future commissioned permanent and temporary public art projects. Application materials will focus on artist’s past work, not on proposals.

This Artist Candidate Pool will be used to identify and review candidates for opportunities at the Alaska Junction, Avalon and Delridge Stations currently planned for the WSLE. Selected artists for the Artist Candidate Pool will not be under contract with Sound Transit and are not guaranteed a commissioned public art project but will be eligible as candidates until May 31, 2028. STart reserves the right to use the Artist Candidate Pool for additional art opportunities on other Sound Transit projects and to reopen the application process as needed to support additional development projects.

STart projects are developed to welcome passengers to our stations, help them find their way and relate the stations to their surrounding communities. Artists selected for STart opportunities should expect to adhere to those goals.

Questions? Please email any questions and/or interest in the Artist Candidate Pool to start@soundtransit.org.

Ron April 17, 2025 (1:31 pm)

Over 7 billion dollars for the most useless light rail from WS to SODO. Sound Transit is one of the most corrupt agencies in the country.

Hunk April 17, 2025 (5:45 pm)

This bad faith objection is so tedious. The Link is part of a system, and will let riders connect to trains all over the region. Kinda like how the Bridge only takes you to SoDo, but it’s still useful bc you can transfer to other roads to finish your trip.
MW April 17, 2025 (8:05 pm)

It wouldn’t have been useless when the bridge was closed ;)
- Ron April 18, 2025 (4:36 pm)
  
  Have you ever even used a King County Metro bus before?It absolutely would have been useless. Pretty much all the buses routed through the lower bridge and went directly to downtown or SODO.

Brandon April 17, 2025 (2:37 pm)

When its delivered late and overbudget, remember this is what they spent time and money on 7 years before it’s even supposed to open. I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t plan the art in my house until after the shovel breaks dirt at least. But hey, when did ST ever need priorities when voters give them carte blanche.

Jake April 17, 2025 (3:11 pm)

I don’t know. I kind of like the confidence in it getting done. We need lightrail so bad. And expedited. Harrell already did an EO for it.
Foop April 17, 2025 (3:28 pm)

I’m sorry, is there a process or a job they are currently neglecting wrt to the light rail that this is currently taking away from? It’s barely more than a call for submissions at this point. Calm down.
- Marina April 17, 2025 (4:16 pm)
  
  Considering it’s so vastly over budget, maybe we hold off on the art work until after we pay for it?
WilfridS April 17, 2025 (4:02 pm)

I knew there would be a comment exactly this ignorant. Thank you for lowering the bar!
anonyme April 18, 2025 (5:42 am)

Brandon is correct. So far, the cost estimate for this project has almost doubled. Why is frosting being added to a cake that won’t exist for at least another 7 years, further increasing an ever-ballooning “budget”? As an artist who supports public art, this seems an absurd overreach at this point.